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Show HERALD DAILY Wednesday. May 30. 2007 Swift The owners of Swift, which was targeted by immigration raids in December, began a strategic review in January to decide whether the operations Continued from D6 Argentina. It had nearly $1.8 billion in sales last year. Through Swift, J&F will gain access to global markets, particularly in Asia, where imports of beef are strictly regulated because of mad cow disease, or bovine spongiform encephalopathy, which has been linked to more than 150 human deaths worldwide, and disease, a highly contagious viral disease that affects cloven-hoofe- d animals like cattle and pigs. "I think this is the first significant investment (in the U.S. industry) by a foreign entity," said Steve Kay, editor and publisher of the trade publication, Cattle Buyers Weekly. "They obviously want to put themselves in position as a global leader in beef processing." Meyer, who was surprised by the announcement, said J&F entered the bidding later than other companies and that few thought it would be successful. "They weren't on anybody's radar until just a few weeks ago," he said. "This company seems to have paid quite a bit of money ... and obviously outbid the others so that's the way it's going to be." In an interview with The Associated Press, Swift Chief Executive Officer and President Sam Rovit said he does not expect large-scal- e changes. "We'll be able to access their customers with a broader pallet of products and they'll be able to access our customers," should be sold. "We had a number of parties that were competing for our business which, to us, was never a surprise given that this was the last large free radical left in the meatpacking sector of any United States," Rovit said Analysts speculated that other major U.S. meatpackers looked at potential partnerships to acquire Swift's assets and also comply with antitrust issues. Swift, which has about 20,000 employees, was purchased by HM Capital and Booth Creek in September 2002 from ConAgra Foods Inc. In December, federal immi- 05 Residents get a look at the future of St. George THE ASSOCIATED PRESS ST. GEORGE Light rail? New freeways? Federal land in private hands? More open space? Residents this week get their first look at four options for St. George and Washington County, one of the country's most rapidly developing areas, with population growth of nearly 40 percent since 2000. By 2035, there could be 400,000 people in the southwest corner of Utah, which is closer to Las Vegas than Salt Lake City. "A lot of how we grow depends on our resources like water, so we encourage a smaller lot size and open have the force of law but will have the force of public opinion," said James Eardley, chairman of the Washington County Commission. Some proposals call for space," said Roger Carter, city manager in Washington city. "What we don't want to see is urban sprawl." After 13 workshops involving 1,200 people, four scenarios have emerged for how the county could handle growth. Participants pasted paper chips on maps to show where they wanted to see housing, commercial areas, open areas, roads and no roads. Vision Dixie, as it's known, grew out of the debate linked to a bill in Congress on use of some federal land in the county. Cities need not follow the growth guidelines, although third-quart- Rovit said. "Our view is that while they are likely to make some changes, by and large, they are buying into this team and the strategy of this team, and that's great for our employees and for our customers," he said. the Net: www.swiftbrands.com On a spokesman for a partnership called public-privat- officials believe most will. "The (guidelines) do not LaVerkin resident Midge Henline wants to ensure that the "irreplaceable" isn't destroyed. "I think it's really crucial we protect our open spaces and not develop even as much as we have been," she said. Lin Alder, a photographer and.real-estat- e developer, said now is the time for residents to get off the sideline. "If people want to see new thinking and change, then they need to get up out of their seats and participate," Alder said. Infrared in preventing Utah from obtaining a reputation as being a haven for such businesses," from Copeland wrote in the order. mail drop, telephone, Internet The order seeks to have connection, account with a iMergent make public information such as the number of financial institution, or other sites hosted by StoresOnline, all transactional resources located in Utah to facilitate their states where the assisted marviolations," he said. keting plans were sold, and the Friday's order comes after amount of money customers a federal judge in March dismake from their online sites. But the company claims it missed a lawsuit filed by iMerisn't required to comply with gent against the state, which had issued an administrative the act and that the citation is a violation of its settlement citation to the company for with the state on Nov. 15, failing to register as a business opportunity seller. 2003, that exempts the compaThe company has been the ny from having to register as target of multiple shareholder a business opportunity seller. n lawsuits and inKorn said the company quiries from at least four state plans to appeal the order attorneys general over its through the division, and also business practices. through the state and federal It was accused of using decourts. Shares of iMergent fell 5.6 ceptive marketing practices to sell Web-basesoftware that percent or $1.37 to $23.20 at allows businesses to sell prodthe close of Tuesday's trading. The stock fell another 0.25 peructs online, costing clients thousands of dollars in losses. cent or 5.9 cents to $23.14 in s "The State has an interest trading Tuesday. iMergent Continued D6 e Envi- sion Utah. residential growth within city limits. Others suggest it should occur in areas next to cities. Under Scenario A, a ring of new freeways would be connected to Interstate 15. Residents can study the four plans at nine workshops through June 14. The first was set for Tuesday night at the Dixie Center in St. George. "We want to know what people like about each scenario, and then we'll come up with a preferred plan that will gration authorities rounded up nearly 1,300 workers at Swift plants in Colorado, Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, Texas and Hyrum, Utah. The six plants represented all of Swift's domestic beef processing capacity and 77 percent of its pork processing capacity. The company said last month that it has refilled positions left vacant as a result of the raids. Swift initially estimated the financial effect of the raids at $30 million but has raised that estimate to as much as $50 million because it took longer than expected to return the beef plants to full production, which caused higher costs and led to lost business opportunities. In April, Swift said the raids cut into fiscal sales and profits at the company's beef and pork operations. The company said it was also beginning to realize benefits of recently enacted cost cutting efforts. be a hybrid of those scenarios," explained Kevin Fayles, barbecue. Fisher said gas grills are convenient, but he still prefers wood and charcoal. Barbecue and barbecue fragile, Schwing said. Char-Broformed a strateaccessories are a $4 billion gic alliance with Best's comindustry in the U.S., with 17 million grills shipped to retailpany to develop a new geners last year, a 15 percent eration of burners known as TEC series. The increase over 2005, said the inthe Char-Brofragile ceramics have been dustry association's Wheeler. eliminated. They have a layer Pomona, Calif. based Cal of glass to shield the burners Spas has been selling high-enfrom drippings and provide grills with infrared burners since 2003. Nicole Lasorda, a even heat distribution. Seven years after Best's spokeswoman for the compatent expired, those improve- pany, said the faster and more ments are available at a price predictable way the burners cook allows people to spend more affordable to weekend more time relaxing and less grillers. "I think it's significant," time cooking. said Matt Fisher, who tested "More and more people are barbecuing now and they one of grills. "It don't necessarily want to really brings a whole new technology to the market for stand in front of the barbecue all the time," she said. most people." Fisher, who lives in the On the Net: Ridgewood neighborhood of www.charbroil. 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